Towards Enhanced Adoption of Innovative Building Technologies in Construction Industry

Abstract

Innovative building technologies (IBT) are often exhibited as a panacea for mitigating housing delivery shortfalls in the light of the ever-growing construction costs.  However, adoption of these technologies in Kenya's construction industry is slow and this diminishes the probable impact of IBTs in addressing housing supply challenges. This study aims to formulate a framework that can be used to enhance adoption of IBT in construction projects. To achieve this, the study describes the existing legal and institutional framework influencing adoption Innovative Building Technologies, the promotional strategies for the IBT and the drawbacks to adoption of IBT. A review of related literature shows that there are critical handicaps to adoption of IBT in some legislation. The review also appreciates that there is continued introduction of IBTs in Kenya and there is considerable effort by the Government to promote their adoption. The research relies on interviews to gather information from industry players broadly classified into IBT policy makers and disseminators and the IBT technology providers.  The policy formulators include the government agencies with mandate on IBT promotion or regulation and providers include the private entities that produce and promote use of IBT. The researcher sought to assess the drawbacks in institutional and legal framework that derail adoption of IBT from the perspective of the two categories of industry players. From the data analysis, it is concluded that the building laws should be tailored to regulate performance of materials rather than rigidly focusing on the material composition. On institutional arrangement, there is need for wider corroboration between IBT producers and Institutions charged with policy formulation and dissemination. This will help to ease bias against IBT in the construction industry and to bring about perfect information on IBTs in the market including in training institutions.